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A07288 Saint Peters chaine consisting of eight golden linckes, most fit to adorne the neckes of the greatest states, nobles, and ladies in this land, as the chiefest iewell of true nobilitie: and not vnfit for the meaner sort. Digested into eight chapters, and published by R.M. minister. With a praier annexed to the end of euerie chapter. Mavericke, Radford, b. 1560 or 61. 1596 (1596) STC 17683; ESTC S112697 95,593 198

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saith Hee that beleeueth hath euerlasting life And Saint Paul saith by grace ye are saued Ioh. ● 36 Ephe. 2.8 By things to come I meane the accomplishment and performance of our saluation which in this life we doe patiently waite for and expect by hope therefore hope is sometimes vsed in the same sence that faith is as in the eight to the Romaines Saint Paul saith we are saued by hope that is by Rom. 8.24 hope our faith is supported and wee are comforted til we haue the end of our faith euen the saluation of our soules Againe this difference is betweene faith and hope that faith doth imbrace and apprehend Wherein faith and hope agree the promises of things and hope the things whereof the promises are made onely in this faith and hope agree that they haue alwaies respect vnto one and the selfe same benefits As for example when Abraham Gen. 17.19 was promised to haue a sonne in his olde age he did verily beleeue it but with hope did expect the performance thereof many yeares He was promised also the land of Canaan to him and his seede he did verily Gen. 17.8 beleeue it should be accomplished but yet hee did onely enioy the same by hope Thus we haue seene briefely the difference betweene faith hope and loue as also how they agree in one but of loue we shalspeake more God willing in the last Chapter Now let vs proceede a little further in our purpose to shew the excellencie and worthines of faith whereby we are assured of things inuisible as though wee saw them Things inuisible are plainely seene with the eyes of faith-Heb 11.3 with our bodily eyes if not more assured Through faith wee vnderstand the world was made by the word of God so that the things which we see are not made of things which did appeare Through faith we are assured of our election before the foundations of the world were laide God hath chosen vs saith Saint Paul in Christ before the foundation of the Ephes 1.4 world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue Through faith wee are assured of our reconciliation with God for God was in Christ saith the Apostle and reconciled 2. Cor. 5.19 the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them Through faith wee are assured of our redemption iustification and sanctification Ye are of him saith Saint Paul in Christ Iesus 1 Cor. 1.30 who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Through faith we are assured of our adoption that wee are the sonnes of God The spirite Rom. 8 16 beareth witnesse vnto our spirites saith the Apostle that wee are the children of God Through faith wee are assured that wee haue the spirit of God Know ye not that the 2. Cor. 13.5 spirite of Christ dwelleth in you except ye be reprobates Through faith wee haue the true knowledge of God and of Christ and in the ende euerlasting life This is life eternall to know God the father and whome hee hath Ioh. 17.3 sent Iesus Christ Lastly through faith we are assured that nothing shall separate vs from the loue of God for those whome God once loueth to Ioh. 13.1 the ende he loueth them I am perswaded saith Saint Paule that neither death nor Rom. 8.38 life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our If we haue faith nothing can separate vs from God Lord. See thē the excellency of faith which may yet againe be considered fower maner of waies In respect of God in respect of our neighbours in respect of our selues in respect of the deuill and of the world In respect of God we feele peace of conscience Being iustified by faith wee Rom. 5.1 haue peace towardes God through Iesus Christ our Lorde Wee haue hope of the glorie to come Wee haue accesse vnto the 8.21 Heb. 4.16 throne of grace In respecte of our neighbours we haue mutuall concord godly loue and charitie In respect of our selues wee haue patience in afflictions reioycing in Rom. 5.3 tribulations ioye in the holye Ghost dying vnto sinne liuing vnto righteousnesse In respect of Sathan our faith fighteth for Ephe. 6.16 vs against his temptations and in respect of the world wee doe by little and little ouercome it This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith 1. Ioh. 5.9 What should we say more If thou haue faith all things in heauen and earth make for thee if thou want faith al things in heauē earth hel make against thee if thou haue All thinges make for the faithful as al things make against the infidels faith thou art rich without any other thing if thou want faith thou art poore possessing al other things if thou haue faith thou maiest bee bolde as a Lyon if thou want faith thou wilt tremble at the shaking of a leafe if thou haue faith thou needes not feare the Faith a strong fort against our enemies force of thine enemies but for want of faith the heartes of people faint within them The wicked flie saith Salomon and no man pursueth them contrariwise the faithfull will say with Dauid God is our hope Pro. 28.1 and strength a helpe in troubles ready to bee founde Therefore will wee not feare Psal 46 1.2 3. though the earth remoue and though the mountaines fall into the depth of the Sea the hils shake at the surges of the same Againe Dauid saith though thousands had Psal 3.6 hemd me in on euery side yet would I not feare And againe I will say vnto the Lord O my hope and my fortresse he is my God Psal 92.1.2 in him will I trust surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter and from 3. the noysome pestilence he will couer thee vnder his wings and thou shalt bee safe vnder 4. his feathers his truth shall be thy shield and buckler thou needst not bee affraid of the terror of the night nor of the arrowe that flyeth by day nor of the pestilence that 5. walketh in the darkenesse nor of the plague One faithfull man better in fight then a thousand infidels that destroyeth at the noone day a thousand shall fall at thy side and ten thousand at thy right hande but it shall not come neere thee Behold then I beseech you the 6. force of faith blessed is the man that hath 7. the Lord for his God Psa 144.15 Now hauing hitherto heard the excellencie of faith and what profit we receiue therby it shall not be amisse to note for our further comfort and consolation what worthy praise commendation the Scripture hath alwaies giuen vnto faithfull men and women what
speake yet still of naturall kindnes as wee are brothers by nature and creation Insomuch that most certainly we now liue in those last dayes and perillous times which the Apostle S. Paule foreprophesied 2. Tim. 3.1 shoulde come before the end of the world when men shoulde bee louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proude cursed speakers disobedient to parents vnthankfull vnholye without naturall affection truce breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good traitours headye high minded louers of pleasures more than louers of God hauing a shew of holynesse but hauing denyed the power thereof all which thinges are most certainly fulfilled in our time But leauing to discourse farther of naturall kindnesse and of such vnkinde naturall men as this age yeeldeth I must come to the chiefest thing that ought to bee spoken of in this Chapter euen vnto christian brotherly kindnes which the Apostle Saint Peter in anie case woulde haue vs to linke vnto the sixe former vertues for Christians must not onelye shewe brotherly kindnesse one to another because wee are brothers by nature and creation but chiefelye and principally because wee are also brothers by grace of redemption by profession and religion because wee haue one God one faith one baptisme one sauiour and redeemer And is this brotherhoode neerer and dearer than the other O farre dearer by nature and creation we are brothers according to the flesh but by grace wee are knit Brothers by redemption nearer and dearer then by creation together in vnitie of spirite by nature wee inioye heere in a fraternitie the temporall thinges of this worlde and that neyther but by vsurpation or tolleration but by grace wee inioy through hope those durable riches which shall neuer fade By nature we are the sonnes of men but by grace wee are made the sonnes of God The same spirite bearing witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If wee bee children Rom 8.16.17 wee are also heires euen the heires of God and heirs annexed with Christ if so be that wee suffer with him that wee maye also bee gloryfied wyth him By nature wee are heires heere of temporall inheritances but by grace wee are heires and coheires wyth Christ Iesus of eternall glorie in a worde by nature or rather by corruption of nature we are the children of wrath and damnation but by grace wee are restored vnto life and saluation If by nature therefore wee ought to shewe kindnesse to our brothers according vnto the flesh howe much more vnto them that are brothers both by nature profession This Argument from the lesser to the greater doeth the Apostle Saint Paule vse when hee would perswade his beloued Philemon Brothers both by nature profession Phile 16. to shewe kindnesse vnto Onesimus an old seruant of Philemons I beseech thee sayth the holy Apostle Saint Paule for my sonne Onesimus whome I haue begotten in my bondes that thou wouldest receiue him for euer not nowe as a seruant but aboue a seruant euen a brother beloued speciallie to mee howe much more to thee both in the flesh and in the Lorde Heere then was brotherly kindnesse to bee shewed both because Onesimus was once Philemons seruant and of his familye in which respect Saint Paule as the learned doo note doeth call Onesimus Philemons brother according to the fleshe as also because hee was now a brother according vnto grace Furthermore as there are degrees of brotherly kindnesse according to nature so also according to grace for though loue whereof wee must speake in the next chapter Degrees of brotherlie kindnes according to grace doeth extende it selfe farre and neere to all the children of God alike that are dispearsed thoroughout the whole worlde yet christian brotherly kindnes doth shewe it selfe by degrees which sheweth a differrence betweene loue and brotherly kindenes according to country kindered affinitie fellowship and so foorth It was godly brotherly kindnes in Moises so earnestly to pray the Lord to pardon his country people Exod. 32.31 the children of Israel though therein he had chiefely respect vnto Gods glory or els to rase his name out of the booke of life In like maner it was christian brotherly kindnes in Saint Paule to wishe himselfe Rom. 9. 3. separated from Christ for his brethren that were his kinsemen according to the flesh And the same brotherly kindnes haue all the faithfull though not in so great a measure euen vnto this daye The faithfull husband doth chiefelie desire the saluation The fruites of brotherly kindnes of his wife the wife lykewise of her husbande faithfull parents the saluation of their children children ought to beare the same affection vnto their parents so brothers and sisters so neighbours and friends so kinstolke countrey folke should beare this Christian brotherly kindnes one to the other For these vertues which wee had first giuen vnto vs by creation are not taken away by grace of redemption but rather restored Therefore Saint Paule saith Be ye affectioned Giftes of nature restored by grace of redemption to loue one the other with brotherly kindnes And the author to the Hebrues faith Let brotherly loue continue And againe forsake not the fellowship that ye haue among your selues as the manner Heb 12. 1. of some is And Saint Peter in the second Chapter of his first Epistle saith Honour 1. Pet. 2.17 all men loue brotherlie fellowship Therefore the saintes of God in the primitiue Church are commended in the third of Act. 3.42 the Actes because they did continue not onely in the Apostles doctrine but also in Christians should liue together in godly fellowship fellowship If these Christians were commended for that they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship howe are many that beare the names of Christians in this age to be condemned for that they agree neyther in the Apostles doctrine neyther in brotherly kindnes and Christian felowship but deuide separate themselues one from the other How are all the nations in Christendome deuided and rent asunder the one from the other a token that the latter day draweth The bonds of Christian fellowship broken neer Are not almost al the bonds of christiā fellowship brotherly kindnesse broken Doth not one christian nation thirst for the bloude of an other Nay will all the bloude of all the true Christians in Europe quench the thirst of that blouddy beast of Rome that doth nothing els but seeke to make hauocke of the church of God and that vnder the pretence of holines and religion Surely it is most certaine that Antechrist that spirituall whore of Babilon hath not onely made drunken the most part of the Kinges and Princes of the earth with the cup of her fornication but also hath beene the very The pope the bellows of discention bellowes which out of hell mouth hath kindled the coals these many yeares of most parte of the warres
further proofe that no man by his owne naturall reach of wit and vnderstanding can iudge of the vertues and qualities of faith but onely such as are renewed and borne againe by the spirite of God Now then as I said is it any marueil that this precious Iewel of faith is so smally estimated slenderly accōpted of in the world of meere worldly carnal men Seing they haue no skil at al to iudge of the rare vertues and operation therof neither by meanes of the outward senses of their bodies nor yet by the force powers of their souls but are altogether like vnto the Cocke wherof the fable speaketh that seeing a precious Gem or Iewell lying on the donghill wished hee had had one graine of Barley for that precious Iewell because hee knewe not the price and vertue of the same and therefore did wish for that which serued best to the satisfying of his owne appetite and desire Seeing then the case thus standeth that most people are so miserably deceiued chusing with greedie earnestnes and desire and as it were with both hands apprehending the vaine transitory things of this life make small or none accompt but euen like filthie swine trample vnder their feete Gods Treasures contemned of worldly men those precious pearles of the worde of God of faith and free saluation purchased by the bloud of Christ to the high dishonouring of Almightie God to the endaungering of their owne soules to the great scandale or offence of other to the extreme griefe of hearte of each true faithfull and godlye Christian seeing the case thus standeth I say and these premises duely considered I haue thought it meete and verily agreeing with my calling to spend a litle time in contriuing these plaine and simple treatises of faith and the fruites thereof hereafter following to this end that partly by the helpe hereof if God giue a blessing thereunto but chiefely by prayer reading and hearing of Gods word preached the ignorant sort may attaine vnto the knowledge of faith and other misteries of God by grace which wee by our owne natural knowledge and vnderstanding are not able to attaine vnto and that also these rich gifts of God as faith the rest may be the better accompted of to Gods glorie and our eternall comfort and saluation .. And because it is the minde of the holy 2. Pet. 1 5. Ghost as Saint Peter noteth that all vertues whatsoeuer shold be linked vnto faith as the verye fountaine from whence they must spring therefore I haue made this my first Chapter wherein I will God assisting me in as briefe manner as I can declare and make plaine to those whose eyes it shall please the Lord to open what an excellent and precious Iewell fayth is as also what great profit commodity we receiue by it But here first of all intreating of fayth in generall it shall not bee amisse to make knowne what faith it is whereof I will intreate for there is a certaine Morall fayth or trust which we call fidelitie that ought to be betweene man and man and euen this is a vertue worthy of commendation ther is also an Historicall faith when we onely beleeue the bare Historie whether it bee humane or diuine without any further application of it vnto our selues and this faith is also in some sort worthy of due praise and there is a Temporary faith when some doe beleeue for a time as our Sauiour saith nothing Mat. 13.21 worthie to be commended but is like vnto that faith whereof Saint Iames speaketh that is dead in it selfe to speake nothing Iam. 2.17 of that fayth which is called miraculous because it hath ceased for the most part since the time of the Apostles Now it is not my purpose to entreate of any of these seeing they are gifts common What faith it is whereunto Saint Peter wold haue vertue ioyned to the good and to the bad neither doeth Sainte Peter meane to linke his Golden Chaine with any one of them for that wold disgrace his whole worke but that fayth which I mind to speake of is supernaturall diuine and heauenly far more glorious and excellent then can be comprehended as I haue already saide by the wit and naturall vnderstanding of man But what is it wil some say that you doe so commend Wilt thou know Surely it is that which thy tongue hath vttered a thousand times when thou hast said I beleeue in God And is this such a great matter will worldlings saye to beleeue in God Doth this onely thing deserue so great praise and commendation Yea verily But here beware A Caueat least thou deceiue thy selfe in the vnderstanding of the words for there be three things almost like in words but farre differing in true sence meaning namely to beleeue God to beleeue there is a God and to beleeue in God The deuils beleeue the first and the second that God is true of his promise which is to beleeue God and they also beleeue there is one God and no more and tremble as Saint Iames saith but they Iam. 2.19 beleue not the third that is in God which is as much as to embrace him for our good God and to rest repose our selues on him and his worde onely which is that true iustifying faith wherof I speake So then we must take heed as I said that we do not deceiue True faith beleeueth in God our selues thinking we beleeue verie well if we beleeue God and beleeue there is a God which thing indeede we ought also to do but we must goe further to beleeue in God that is to acknowledge him for our good God Sauior this is ment by saying I beleeue in God I beleeue I say not another for me for euery one shall be saued by his owne faith and not by anothers as the Prophet Habacuk saith The iust shall Haba 2.4 liue by his owne faith Furthermore to beleeue in 〈…〉 to beleeue in God the Father in Go●●he son in God the holy Ghost three persons in trinity one God in vnity of essēce And is it then so easie a matter to beleeue the trinity in vnity the vnity in trinity No verily flesh bloud doth not reueal these things vnto vs as Christ said vnto S. Peter Mat. 16.17 but onely God himselfe both by the outward preaching of his worde by the inward working of his holy spirit Wherfore Galat. 5.6 a true liuely and iustifying faith which euermore worketh by loue may bee thus A definition of a true liuely faith defined namely that it is a most certain sound perswasion of Gods great good will fauour towardes vs grounded vpon the truth of his free promises made vnto mankinde in his sonne Christ Iesus reuealed vnto vs by the preaching of his word and sealed in our harts by his holy spirite Thus then hauing briefly and plainely shewed what